


returning to life

by ElisaReven



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Sherlolly - Freeform, established relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:51:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1273897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElisaReven/pseuds/ElisaReven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been three weeks since Molly Hooper had shot Moriarty dead and she was coming home from hospital, Sherlock stood next to her at the door to 221B Baker Street. She was holding his hand but it was the lightest of touches and he knew her fingers would fall from his all too quickly if he let go of her. His heart pounded just as much as hers did. He let out a long breath before pushing open the door. Sherlock had been in the flat a number of times whilst Molly had been recovering from her physical wounds though he still could not get used to the inspector living in the bottom flat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	returning to life

**Author's Note:**

> a sequel to another of my stories tying up a few lose ends so to speak!

        

          It had been three weeks since Molly Hooper had shot Moriarty dead and she was coming home from hospital, Sherlock stood next to her at the door to 221B Baker Street. She was holding his hand but it was the lightest of touches and he knew her fingers would fall from his all too quickly if he let go of her. His heart pounded just as much as hers did. He let out a long breath before pushing open the door. Sherlock had been in the flat a number of times whilst Molly had been recovering from her physical wounds though he still could not get used to the inspector living in the bottom flat.

Molly didn’t fight him when he led her upstairs, she took her place on the sofa and pulled her legs tight to her chest. The glint that Sherlock had once seen in her eyes wasn’t there anymore and he wondered if it ever would be again. His mouth ran dry, not knowing how to act with her now in the flat. There were hundreds of words darting through his mind but only four found their way to his lips.

“I love you Molly.”

She was silent for the longest of times, her eyes blinking. Finally she looked up to him.

“I love you too Sherlock.” They were the only words he needed to hear from her everything else could be said another time.

Mrs Hudson came up to them a few hours later and asked if they would like some food. They agreed and she returned a few minutes later with a light meal for them both. Molly picked at the salad leaves, pushing the cherry tomatoes around with her fork. Sherlock couldn’t bring himself to bring the food to his mouth, and so stayed in his place staring at the plate. The sunlight was disappearing out of sight when they eventually left the table. Molly went to the bath room and started the sower running. She removed her clothes letting them drop to the floor and stepped under the warm water. It had been a long time since she had had a proper wash; hospital facilities were not the greatest. The water fell over her and Molly’s body became too heavy for her to keep up. Slowly she sunk down into the bathtub, holding herself tight tears fell and sobs left her lips. Sherlock could hear her and it made his heart ache. Without thinking he pushed open the bathroom door, pulled back the shower curtain and climbed into the bath wrapping his arms around her.

“Oh Sherlock I’m sorry I don’t think I can . . . we can’t be . . . not now.”

He didn’t say anything but stayed there, fully clothed under the falling water holding her to him.

“The things they did to me, Sherlock I’ve never . . . I don’t know . . . I can’t stop . . .” her body was shaking violently as she let out her unfinished sentences. “How can I just . . . why can’t I . . .?” she looked up into his eyes. Sherlock wasn’t one for tears but in that moment he couldn’t stop them.

“I don’t know Molly, I don’t know why it had to be you. I don’t know why I couldn’t stop it from happening. I wish none of this had ever happened to you. If I had never come to St Barts . . . if I had listened to my family and just been what they wanted then none of this would have happened to you. Any of you. John’s life wouldn’t have been put in danger over and over. Mrs Hudson would have-”

“She would probably be in jail because of the cartel.” Molly bit down on her lip her voice so quiet against his ear.

“Molly I just . . . I want you to know that I don’t know what to do. All of this, the way I feel about you . . . I had always been informed that I didn’t have a heart, that I wasn’t human but I do, have a heart. You are my heart Molly. John made me human but you, you were always there for me. You took everything I did to you and still smiled at me. You are the strongest person I have ever met. The thing is I . . . I think you would have been better off never knowing me.”

“Well that doesn’t matter anymore does it? Even if we left each other they would still come after me.”

“There is no one to come after you now.” Sherlock had grasped her face in his hands. She nodded as much as she could before returning her head to his shoulder. Her body gave an involuntary shudder, goose bumps rising up on her skin. Sherlock reached over to shut off the shower then grabbed a towel wrapping Molly’s body with it. He rubbed her body for a moment to get the warmth back into her. When he was satisfied Sherlock lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed where he helped her change into pyjamas. He shucked off his wet suit before putting on his own sweats and climbed into the bed beside her.

Just as always her body stiffened at first when he put his arm under her neck. She relaxed when he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead and she fell asleep. Sherlock didn’t sleep, he couldn’t. He stayed awake holding on to her; waiting. The detective didn’t have to wait long, her nightmares were so frequent he had them pinned as clockwork. When the screaming started he would pull her in closer to his body trying to sooth her with the dulcet tones of his voice. He had never known that Molly Hooper could break his heart so many times. Each one of her sobs clenched his stomach, tears ached his eyes.

 

 

When morning came neither felt rested but they rose out of bed and shuffled into the living room. Mrs Hudson had already place a tray of tea and crumpets on the coffee table. They poured out the tea but didn’t touch the food. Molly turned on the television and sunk into the grey armchair a moment later Sherlock slid his body behind and beneath her so she was on his lap. Neither of them dressed that day but stayed together blissfully unaware of the rest of the world. The TV played to itself, teacups went cold and time had no meaning to them. It was getting dark again when they finally separated. Molly shuffled into the kitchen opening the fridge not really looking for anything in particular. She closed it again and started moving around the kitchen nonchalantly. The door opened and lestrade stepped through, holding a white bag that he dropped onto the table.

“dinner.” He announced. Molly was passing him as he spoke and put his arm out touching her shoulder lightly. Molly almost shrieked at the touch, reeling backwards against the sink. Sherlock was beside her in a flash and holding her to his chest. Molly had started sobbing again.

“Shit I’m sorry Molly, I didn’t think.” Greg closed his eyes, his chest tightening. She had been his friend for so long and he felt so useless to her; there was nothing he could do to his help his two friends get past their shared experience.

“Shit, I should have known, it was stupid of me.”

Sherlock looked at him, his eyes were filled with an emotion the inspector had never seen in him before.

“It’s fine. She just . . .” Greg nodded at him. Molly’s sobs quieted as Sherlock guided her back to the living room. She sat down on the sofa, Sherlock knelt down in front of her. Lestrade had never seen Sherlock act so gentle towards another person, he stared in awe at the way he was so attentive to Molly. He was holding her hands in his own, pressing his lips to the knuckles. His voice was barely audible as he soothed her into normal breaths once more. She even managed a slight smile before he rose back to his feet. Greg saw how it appeared to cause her pain letting go of his hand.

When Sherlock returned to Greg in the kitchen all he could do was apologise again.

“Its ok, Greg, you weren’t to know.” It took a second for it to sink in that Sherlock had used his real name, “it is going to take her a long time I think.”

“You ok with this mate? Taking care of her I mean.”

Sherlock took in a few breaths as he placed three plates on the table.

“I don’t know. I still . . . the drugs they gave me I . . .” he swallowed hard, “. . . there is still a craving.”

Greg put a hand onto Sherlock’s shoulder “its ok, we are all here for both of you.”

Sherlock nodded. They dished out the food in silence, then Greg returned to his own flat whilst the detective sat down next to Molly. She took a few mouthfuls of the Chinese food, she actually enjoyed the taste of it. Sherlock cleared most of his plate without realising it. He had been staring out of the window to the house across the street. Though he couldn’t see any movement inside he knew that the Watsons were living there now.

“Do they think we will kill each other?” molly was asking suddenly as she placed her plate on the coffee table. Sherlock mimicked her movement.

“I think . . . they are worried about us.” She nodded her head. Sherlock pulled her closer to him, clenching his arm around her shoulders.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” He frowned down at her confused by her words.

“The way I acted with Greg. I just wasn’t expecting him to-”

“John thinks we should see a therapist.”

Molly nodded, she thought it might be a good idea for both of them.

 

 

Molly sat in a small green armchair, in a large cream room. There were several green cupboards along one wall and a wooden desk close to the window. A woman sat in a matching chair across from her.

“this session is about you, Molly, you can say whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be about what happened it can be anything.”

Molly nodded.

“I was . . . I was . . .” she took in a few long breaths a lump forming in her throat.

 

_Sherlock’s fingers drummed in the arm of the grey armchair. John across from him was waiting patiently for him to talk._

_“I do not usually stand for this sort of sentimentality you understand?” John nodded. “What happened to me was my fault, I know that. No don’t try and tell me it wasn’t. She was raped because of me. There was nothing I could do about it.”_

_Sherlock hadn’t wanted to see the actual therapist but had agreed to talk to john; he found it easier to speak to him._

_“I can only guess what Michael did to her, but I saw everything that Moran . . . they made me watch and there was nothing I could do.”_

“I thought I was safe again, it was hard but I had started to move on again. I had a new flat and Sherlock was, he was trying so hard. I felt safe I was healing but then. It feels like there are men around every corner waiting to . . .” molly stopped for a moment trying to calm the ache in her chest. She was beginning to panic, she hadn’t been alone without Sherlock for this long since her return to Baker Street. She knew that Mary was waiting for her just outside the cream room but it didn’t stop her hands from shaking. The therapist gave her sympathetic smile.

“It’s ok Molly, take your time.”

“Even when I was being . . . the second time it wasn’t the worst thing to happen. I had to watch him, Sherlock through a camera as they pumped him with drugs and knew he could see me. See what they were doing to me and he was powerless to stop them. The drug they used I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

 

_“It was like I could move and I could think but the two things never met. John, I sat there and watched as he did things to Molly that should never be done to anyone. I couldn’t stop it. My mind was screaming out, running into her room and killing him. But my body just sat there.”_

_There were tears stinging at john’s eyes as he listened to his best friend. He had never asked for the full details of what had happened to them in Glasgow and his chest tightened to hear it._

_“I wanted to save her I thought I had. She was here and she was getting better. I don’t know John I am frightened.”_

_“Frightened? What about?”_

_“What if she is broken? To broke to be fixed, I mean.” He ran his hands through his hair, “this is so frustrating! I feel like I can’t . . . my mind isn’t . . . I’m not equipped for this John! What if I can’t help her?”_

_“Number one Sherlock, she loves you and you love her. number two, don’t be so hard on yourself, you have the biggest brain this side of the planet and who knows maybe the whole planet, but you don’t need it for this. This isn’t a situation you can fix with science and deduction. You just have to be there for her. You have been through the shit too. Look at what they did to you!”_

The therapy went on for both of them. Once a week Mary would take Molly to her appointments and John would sit across from Sherlock and listen. Sometimes neither men would say a word to each other, but sit and read over newspapers or check their emails for cases that they could solve from their seats. Something of the old Sherlock was starting to come back, though he still refused to take on any cases above a two. Nothing that meant he had to leave Molly for more than an hour. Molly smiled more often, though she still reeled away from anyone’s touch except Sherlock’s. They would clear their plates whenever someone ate with them and even joined in with the conversation.

Still at night they found themselves barely human. Or maybe it was the most human they were. Sherlock would wrap his body around Molly’s holding her close to him and she would clutch onto his arms as if she was scared he might disappear. Her dreams had calmed slightly; she didn’t scream anymore but she shouted. Mostly she dreamed of the gun, how it felt in her hand; heavy and cold. Each time she shot the weapon her eyes would fling open.

“Sherlock what happens when I’m better?”

He looked down at her, seeing her eyes glint in the moonlight that peeked through the window.

“What do you mean?”

“Us, there was nothing before Michael. I’m scared that when, when we’re ok and we go back to our lives you won’t want me anymore. I’ll be too boring for you.”

“Do you know you don’t stutter around me anymore Molly? I never really understood why you did that. You were so confident around everyone else. But when I walked in you would become a different person. I spent four days following you once, watching you; observing you. I didn’t know why you fascinated me then. I supposed it was because I could deduce everything about you except that one thing. It took me too long to realise what I had always known. That day in the lab when you slapped me it was the moment I noticed the ring was missing from your left hand and if I am honest I was glad for it. I didn’t want you to marry another man. I had you back but I couldn’t find the right way to, of course everything with Magnusson happened so I told myself it was better for you that I stayed the way I was.”

He was talking rapidly but was beginning to ramble. Molly brought her hand up to his mouth to silence him. Sherlock took in a long breath.

“What I mean to say Molly Hooper is that you have never bored me, I don’t believe you could ever bore me.”

 

 

It had been eight months since their return to Baker Street and both Molly and Sherlock were returning to their work. Molly had started off with part time work, four hours a day for four days a week. Light duties; paper work mostly. If she was honest that was more than enough for her. There was always somebody waiting for her at the end of her shifts so she didn’t have to make the journey home alone. The pathologist was still nervous about strangers; in her mind everyone was Sabastian Moran, lurking around the corners and waiting to pounce. Her sister came to visit her one day and they made peace with each other. Jessie even had to agree that Sherlock wasn’t all bad. The way he was taking care of her sister thawed the wall of ice she had built around him.

Sherlock had started taking some more cases, sixes and sevens, even at eight came about at one point. The pair were getting more used to spending time away from each other but Sherlock never stayed away for too long. On those nights when he and John had to spend the night on a case he would call her before she went to bed, and spend most of his time sending her text messages. The detective was pleased to learn that his relationship with Molly wasn’t impeding on his work. Though he worried about her his mind easily flipped onto his work. On the nights they were alone he would find a solace in the peace she brought to him. The way she would stroke his hair as he lay his head on her lap gave him the perfect stimulation to tidy his mind palace. He could sort through everything he had seen that day without any of the stupid questions John used to ask him.

It was Christmas and Mrs Hudson had insisted on having a party. Everyone was there, Greg sat with his new girlfriend on the sofa. Sherlock had approved her of her though nobody understood why; she wasn’t particularly smart or witty but the detective knew she was loyal. After all the years of an adulterous wife lestrade deserved a woman who had only eyes for him. The inspector’s Daughter was there as well playing with Lily Watson on the floor. Mary sat with Mrs Hudson in the kitchen laughing over some joke they hadn’t deemed to tell anyone else. John sat in the red armchair that had once been his, a scotch in one hand and the other propping up his head. Sleep was starting to creep up on the doctor as he let the warmth from the fire dance over his skin. Molly was sat in the opposite seat, holding onto her wine glass. She had her eyes closed listening to Sherlock as he played his violin. It had taken him so long to pick it back up after they had returned. At first he had played quiet and soothing melodies, letting the sound fill the flat. Molly enjoyed it and soon she was encouraging him to play more lively tunes.

Mrs Hudson was sure 221 Baker Street had never felt so happy. It was finally a family home and her heart couldn’t have been bigger. The doorbell down stairs rang and Greg got up to answer it. He was followed back into the room by three more guests. Mycroft and Sherlock’s parents smiled to everyone. Sherlock stepped over to them and threw his arms around his mother, kissing her cheek. It didn’t escape John’s notice that she slipped a small box into his jacket pocket. When they had settled into the party and all had drinks Sherlock cleared his throat silencing them all.

“As you all know this is not my area, in fact I have spent a good deal of many years attempting to avoid any situation such as this. However tonight I have an agenda to this gathering.” Sherlock took a long sip of his wine before continuing. “Molly, you have been through so much because of me and I know that truly I have no right to ask this of you but,” he produced the box from his pocket, opening it as he descended to one knee in front of Molly. She had to force out the breath that had caught in her throat. “Molly Hooper, this was my grandmother’s ring. When I was very young she told me that there was a woman in the world that was worthy of having this ring. She would be the one woman that could hold my heart, sentiment was beyond me at the time but I understand it now. Since the day I met you, you have been cradling my heart and I was very much like it, what I mean to say is will you . . .” he seemed to lose the ability to talk for a moment. Behind him he heard Greg telling him not to ruin this now. He was faltering, floundering in his mind, Molly touched the side of his face and brought his eyes up to meet hers. A calm washed over him. “Will you marry me?” after his speech they were the only words he needed to say. The smile that drew across Molly’s face was perfect, he hadn’t seen that smile on her for far too long. She nodded her head tears threatening her eyes. With fumbling fingers Sherlock slid the ring onto her finger; it was a perfect fit. Somehow he had known it would be. Molly’s arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him for a kiss. A round of applause broke out behind them. Even Mycroft was smiling. He was the last to congratulate the pair shaking his brother’s hand he spoke formally. With a gentle smile he bent down and placed a kiss to the side of Molly’s face. It was the first time she had let anyone other than Sherlock touch her so intimately. For some reason no one was surprised it had been Mycroft she had let in first.

The wedding planning took up most of their time over the next two months. Sherlock asked John to be his best man. Greg was going to give Molly away, because she couldn’t choose between her brothers. Jessie was her maid of honour and Mary her bridesmaid. Mrs Hudson sat with Mrs Holmes and both of them were prepared to weep. It was a small affair but beautiful. Molly had worn a simple silk dress that reached to the floor and framed her body with lace. The reception was perfect, everyone dancing and having fun, the drink flowing. No one noticed when Sherlock sneaked his new bride away to their hotel room. He laid her down gently on the bed and kissed her, tracing his lips down her jaw line to her neck. Molly’s hands were curling into Sherlock’s hair. Their breath was starting to become ragged and Sherlock swept his hand slowly down her body. The lace and silk of her wedding underwear was tantalising to the consulting detective. His fingers found the top of the panties and slipped underneath. Molly froze, her whole body going rigid. Sherlock let go of her and moved backwards.

“I’m sorry, I . . . Molly I didn’t think.”

She pulled herself up so she was sitting, tears fell from her eyes.

“Shit. I didn’t know. I thought I would be able to. I just . . . god I just suddenly, I mean, I saw . . .” Sherlock moved back across the bed and took her into his arms placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“You’ll get there, I promise. We can take it slowly, as slow as you want.”

Molly pulled herself back to look at him in the eyes.

“No.” she had found her resolve, “I won’t let them beat me. I can do this.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips. Sherlock barely dared to move, his hands stayed on the bed moving only to help her push his shirt off. He soon started reciprocating her movements, so gently he was barely touching her at times. Molly set the pace and he was happy with that. It was her night and he was going to make sure that she got what she needed. Guided by her hands he moved himself down between her legs pulling her panties off as he went. His tongue and fingers worked on her, each movement was sensual and brought her closer to the edge. Her fingers stretched down grasping his shoulders to pull him up to her. Sherlock complied without hesitation returning his lips to hers. After a few short breaths she nodded to him and he knew what she wanted. Very carefully he pushed himself inside her, her muscles were tense around him. Once he had filled her he stopped, staying very still for a moment and looking into her eyes. There was a slight look of pain in them, but it soon drifted away. She kissed him and he started to move his hips with precision. It didn’t take long for Molly to fall over the edge and let the orgasm take her over her head fell back against the pillow, her back arching. The clenching of her muscles around him brought Sherlock to his end and he laid with his head on her shoulder. When he had caught his breath Sherlock pulled out of his wife and laid down beside her, pulling her into him. Molly laid her hand on his chest, her breathing was slow and peaceful.

“Are you all right?” Sherlock asked in a whisper. She nodded. She wasn’t lying, in that moment she realised that they had won.

“Everything is going to be ok now.” It wasn’t a question but a statement echoing the sentiment in both of them.

“I have never been prouder of you. What did I do to deserve such a woman like you? Smart and beautiful. Brains, beauty and strength. I love you, Molly Holmes.”

“I love you Sherlock Holmes.”

 

 

Married life would prove to be hard for the pair, they would suddenly found that they would argue about the smallest of things. Sherlock would take longer cases and be away from the house more often. Molly had returned to work full time and would come home tired and aching. There times when neither would talk to the other, their equal stubbornness clashing. There were days that passed when they barely spoke a word to each other. From the outside it might have looked as though they hardly liked each other. Yet when they finally climbed into bed next to each other, Sherlock would hold her close to him and they would laugh at how silly they had been acting.

Wedding bells struck again and Greg’s new wife moved into the basement flat with him. Even Mrs Hudson had found herself a steady male caller who spent most of his time in her flat. Sherlock had looked into his history and assured his landlady that he was loyal, loving man who was not running a drug cartel. The Watson’s had had another child a son and called William, after his god father of course. Sherlock knew he would repay his best friend one day, Molly was more than happy to agree to name their future son Hamish.

Though both would forever be looking over their shoulders for the next threat, and never trusting strangers they were happy. Neither of them had ever believed they could be that happy. Sherlock found that caring was his advantage when it came to his family. One thing he could always admit was that he needed Molly just as much as she needed him. She was part of him, the part that kept him alive, brought him home at night and gave him peace. His mind had never been clearer.

                                                FIN

**Author's Note:**

> hi hope this was worth the read! tried to finish off the lose ends of my earlier story and settle the pair into their new lives together. wanted to make Molly strong again after I had broke her so much in the first!  
> comment and review please!  
> thank you  
> AB


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